Pump dispenser with rotatable nozzle trigger lock

ABSTRACT

A trigger-type liquid dispenser comprises a mounting sleeve (2) to be fitted onto a neck portion of a container body, a vertical sleeve (2a) erected from the mounting sleeve (2), an ejecting sleeve (3) projected forwardly from an upper end portion of the vertical sleeve (2a), a cylinder (4) projected forwardly from a middle portion of the vertical sleeve (2a), a plunger (6) slidably engaged in the cylinder (4) and being urged forwardly, a trigger (5) swingably attached to a front portion of the ejecting sleeve (3), a rear surface of an upper portion of the trigger (5) being engaged with an front end portion of the plunger (6), a nozzle fitting sleeve (7) fitted to a front end portion of the ejecting sleeve (3), and a nozzle head (8) rotatably fitted to an outer surface of the nozzle fitting sleeve (7), said nozzle head (8) being formed with a nozzle hole (10). Liquid stored in the container body is sucked up and ejected through the nozzle hole (10) by pulling the trigger (5) rearwardly. An arm (21) is projected rearwardly from an outer surface of the nozzle head (8). A first engaging portion (23) is provided at an upper portion of the trigger (5). A second engaging portion (26) is provided at a front surface of a lower portion of the cylinder (4). When the trigger (5) is positioned at its front-most position and the nozzle head (8) is rotated, a part of the arm (21) is detachably engaged with the first engaging portion (23), another part of the arm (21) is detachably engaged with the second engaging portion (26), so that the plunger (6) can not move rearwardly even if a user attempts to pull the trigger (5).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a trigger-type liquid dispenser.

A conventional trigger-type liquid dispenser 1 shown in FIG. 12comprises a mounting sleeve 2, a vertical sleeve 2a, an ejecting sleeve3, a cylinder 4, a trigger 5, a plunger 6, a nozzle fitting sleeve 7 anda nozzle head 8. The vertical sleeve 2a is erected from an upper portionof the mounting sleeve 2 to be fitted onto an outer surface of a neckportion of a container body (not shown in FIG. 12). The ejecting sleeve3 is projected forwardly from an upper end of said vertical sleeve 2a.The trigger 5 is swingably attached to a front portion 30 of saidejecting sleeve 3. The cylinder 4 is projected forwardly from saidvertical sleeve 2a. The plunger 6 is arranged in a cylinder 4 and urgedforwardly. A front end of the plunger 6 is engaged with a rear surfaceof an upper portion of said trigger 5. The nozzle head 8 is fitted intoa front end of the ejecting sleeve 3 via the nozzle fitting sleeve 7.The nozzle head 8 has a nozzle hole 10. Liquid stored in the cylinder 4is ejected through the nozzle hole 10 of the nozzle head 8 by pullingthe trigger 5. When the trigger 5 is released, the plunger 6 is moved orreturned forwardly, thereby returning the trigger 5 to its initialposition, so as to suck up the liquid within the container body into thecylinder 4. Numeral 27 designates a cover plate which blocks the frontsurface of the nozzle head 8 openably.

In said trigger-type liquid dispenser, since liquid is ejected even ifthe trigger 5 is pulled inadvertently, a liquid discharge passage 11 inthe nozzle head 8 and the nozzle fitting sleeve 7 fitted into the frontend of the ejecting sleeve 3 is divided into a front portion 11b and arear portion 11a. When the nozzle head 8 is rotated relative to thenozzle fitting sleeve 7, the nozzle head, the communication of saidliquid discharge passage 11 is shut off. Liquid can be ejected only whenthe nozzle head is returned to its initial position.

Even if the liquid discharge passage is closed or shut by rotating thenozzle head 8 relative to the nozzle fitting sleeve 7, when the trigger5 is pulled many times, the plunger 6 moves forwardly or backwardly alittle due to the deflection or elastic restoration. Thus, high pressureliquid may accumulate in the front portion of the ejecting sleeve 3between said discharge nozzle and the liquid discharge passage formed bysaid nozzle fitting sleeve 7 due to the abnormal high pressure in thecylinder. In this condition, when said nozzle head 8 is rotated to openthe liquid discharge passage, high pressure liquid accumulated in thefront portion of the ejecting sleeve 3 may happen to be dischargedthrough the nozzle hole without operating the trigger 5. There is alsothe danger that the nozzle head 8 may be disconnected due to highpressure in the ejecting sleeve 3 when the trigger 5 is pulled strongly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the above-described defects by The presentinvention provides a trigger-type liquid dispenser comprising;

a mounting sleeve (2) to be fitted onto a neck portion of a containerbody,

a vertical sleeve (2a) erected from the mounting sleeve (2),

an ejecting sleeve (3) projected forwardly from an upper end portion ofthe vertical sleeve (2a),

a cylinder (4) projected forwardly from a middle portion of the verticalsleeve (2a),

a plunger (6) slidably engaged in the cylinder (4), said plunger (6)being urged forwardly,

a trigger (5) swingably attached to a front portion of the ejectingsleeve (3), a rear surface of an upper portion of the trigger (5) beingengaged with an front end portion of the plunger (6),

a nozzle fitting sleeve (7) fitted to a front end portion of theejecting sleeve (3), and

a nozzle head (8) rotatably fitted to an outer surface of the nozzlefitting sleeve (7), said nozzle head (8) being formed with a nozzle hole(10),

wherein liquid stored in the container body is sucked up and ejectedthrough the nozzle hole (10) by pulling the trigger (5) rearwardly,

characterized in that

an arm (21) is projected rearwardly from an outer surface of the nozzlehead (8),

a first engaging portion (23) is provided at an upper portion of thetrigger (5),

a second engaging portion (26) is provided at a front surface of a lowerportion of the cylinder (4), and

when the trigger (5) is positioned at its front-most position and thenozzle head (8) is rotated, a part of the arm (21) is detachably engagedwith the first engaging portion (23), another part of the arm (21) isdetachably engaged with the second engaging portion (26), so that theplunger (6) can not move rearwardly even if a user attempts to pull thetrigger (5).

A surrounding sleeve (29) may be unrotatably engaged with an outersurface of the nozzle head (8), and an arm (21) is rearwardly projectedfrom the surrounding sleeve (29). In other words, the arm 21 may beindirectly projected rearwardly from an outer surface of the nozzle head(8).

The second aspect of the invention provides a trigger-type liquiddispenser, wherein

an engaging plate (24) is formed on and projected from a side surface ofan upper portion of the trigger (5),

the engaging plate (24) is formed with a through-hole which is boredperpendicularly and acts as the first engaging portion (23),

a first engaging projection piece (22) is formed and projected from amiddle portion of the arm (21), and

the first engaging projection piece (22) is engagable with thethrough-hole of the engaging plate (24).

In this case, the trigger-type liquid dispenser may have a body cover 25which has the front end surface. The front end surface acts as a secondengaging portion 26.

The third aspect of the invention provides a trigger-type liquiddispenser, wherein

a rear surface of an upper portion of the trigger (5) acts as the firstengaging portion (23),

a front surface of a lower portion of the cylinder (4) acts as thesecond engaging portion (26),

a second engaging projection piece (28) is projected sideward andoutward from a rear portion of the arm (21), and

the second engaging projection piece (28) is positioned or engagedbetween the first engaging portion (23) and the second engaging portion(26).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 1, illustratingthe locking state.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 6,illustrating the locking state.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of the liquid dispenseraccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a conventional liquid dispenser.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Numeral 1 designates a generally used trigger-type liquid dispenser,which is described in conjunction with FIG. 12. The trigger-type liquiddispenser 1 shown in FIG. 12 comprises a mounting sleeve 2, a verticalsleeve 2a, an ejecting sleeve 3, a cylinder 4, a trigger 5, a plunger 6,a nozzle fitting sleeve 7 and a nozzle head 8. The vertical sleeve 2a iserected from an upper portion of the mounting sleeve 2 to be screwedonto an outer surface of a neck portion of a container body (partiallyillustrated in FIGS. 1-11). The ejecting sleeve 3 is projected forwardlyfrom the upper end of said vertical sleeve 2a. The cylinder 4 isprojected forwardly from the front surface of the middle portion of thevertical sleeve 2a. The trigger 5 is swingably attached to the frontportion 30 of said ejecting sleeve 3 at the upper end portion thereof,and is depended obliquely downwardly and forwardly. The plunger 6 isarranged in the cylinder 4 and is urged forwardly. The front end of theplunger 6 is engaged with the back surface of the upper portion of thetrigger 5. Liquid within the cylinder 4 is ejected through the ejectingsleeve 3 by pulling said trigger 5. When the trigger is returned, liquidwithin the container body is sucked into the cylinder 4 due to negativepressure in the cylinder 4 produced by the return of the trigger 5.

The nozzle head 8 is fitted to the front portion of said ejecting sleeve3 via the nozzle fitting sleeve 7. The nozzle head 8 and the nozzlefitting sleeve 7 are provided with a liquid discharge passage 11 whichcommunicates the ejecting sleeve 3 with a nozzle hole 10 bored in thecenter of a front wall 9 of the nozzle head 8. The nozzle fitting sleeve7 has a base plate 7a and a valve rod 7b projecting from the centralportion of the base plate 7a. The nozzle head 8 has the front wall 9 asdescribed above, and has a fitting sleeve 12 projected backwardly fromthe center of the front wall 9. The fitting sleeve 12 is fitted onto anouter surface of the valve rod 7b water-tightly. As illustrated, saidliquid discharge passage 11 is formed in the outer surface of the valverod 7b and in the inner surface of the fitting sleeve 12. That is, saidliquid discharge passage 11 comprises a first discharge passage 11aformed longitudinally (in the axial direction of the sleeve) in theinner surface of the rear portion of the fitting sleeve 12 and a seconddischarge passage 11b formed in the generatrix direction in the outersurface of the front portion of the valve rod 7b. When the nozzle head 8is rotated relative to the nozzle fitting sleeve 7 from the communicatedcondition illustrated in FIG. 12, the first discharge passage 11a isdisplaced to a different position of the valve rod so that thecommunication with the second discharge passage 11b is shut off. Whenthe nozzle head 8 is returned to its initial position, the communicationis restored again as illustrated in FIG. 12. The above-describedconstruction of the present invention is publicly known and is same asthat of FIG. 12.

In the following, the present invention will be described in detail.

In the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, an arm 21 isformed and projected directly from an outer surface of the nozzle head8. A first engaging projection piece 22 is projected from the middleportion of the arm 21 in a direction of circumference of the nozzle head8. An engaging plate 24 is formed and projected from the side surface ofthe upper portion of the trigger 5. The engaging plate 24 is formed witha through-hole which is bored perpendicularly and corresponds to a locusthat the first engaging projection piece 22 rotates around an axis ofthe nozzle head 8. The through-hole acts as a first engaging portion 23.In the illustrated embodiment, the trigger-type liquid dispenser has abody cover 25 which covers the vertical sleeve 2a, the ejecting sleeve 3and the cylinder 4, and which has the front end surface. The front endsurface acts as a second engaging portion 26. The second engagingportion 26 may be formed in the front surface of the cylinder 4. Whenthe nozzle head 8 is rotated so that the first engaging projection piece22 is inserted into and engaged with the first engaging portion 23, andthe rear end surface of the arm 21 is engaged with the second engagingportion 26 of the body cover 25. Thus, even if the user attempts to pullthe trigger 5 under such condition, the trigger 5 can not move.

In the illustrated example, two first engaging projection pieces 22, 22are projected from left and right of the middle portion of the arm 21,and two engaging plates 24 with through-holes are projected from leftand right of the upper portion of the trigger 5. However, only one firstengaging projection piece 22 and only one engaging plate 24 may beprovided, in other words, the present invention is not limited to twofirst engaging projection pieces and two engaging plates. When the arm21 is positioned on the upper side of the nozzle head 8 as illustratedin FIG. 1, the first and the second liquid discharge passages 11a and11b are communicated with each other as illustrated in FIG. 12, andliquid can be ejected or dispensed by erecting a cover plate 27 andpulling the trigger 5. When the nozzle head 8 is rotated so that thefirst engaging projection piece 22 of the arm 21 is engaged into thethrough-hole of the first engaging portion 23 and the rear end surfaceof the arm 21 is engaged with the second engaging portion 26 formed onthe front surface of the body cover 25, the communication between thefirst and the second liquid discharge passages 11a and 11b is shut off.

In the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 to FIG. 9, an arm 21 isprojected backwardly via a sideward overhang 21a, and a second engagingprojection piece 28 is projected sidewardly and outwardly from the rearportion of said arm 21. The rear surface of the upper portion of thetrigger 5 acts as a first engaging portion 23. The front surface of thelower portion of cylinder 4 acts as a second engaging portion 26. Whenthe nozzle head 8 is rotated as illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, thesecond engaging projection piece 28 is positioned between the firstengaging portion 23 and the second engaging portion 26 and engaged withthem. Thus, even if the user attempts to pull the trigger 5 under suchcondition, the trigger 5 can not move so that the plunger 6 can not movebackwardly, and the first and second liquid discharge passages 11a and11b are shut off.

In the third embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, asurrounding sleeve 29 is unrotatably engaged with the outer surface ofthe nozzle head 8. An arm 21 is projected backwardly via an overhang21a. Also, a second engaging projection piece 28 is projected from theend portion of the arm 21. When the nozzle of head 8 is rotated, thesecond engaging projection piece 28 is positioned between the firstengaging portion 22 (the rear surface of the upper portion of thetrigger 5) and the second engaging portion 26 (the front surface of thelower portion of cylinder 4) and engaged with them, and the first andsecond liquid discharge passages 11a and 11b do not communicate eachother. When the nozzle head 8 is further rotated with the surroundingsleeve 29 so as to further move the arm 21, the first and second liquiddischarge passages 11a and 11b communicate each other like the conditionillustrated in FIG. 12.

In the first embodiment as described above, the arm 21 is projecteddirectly from the nozzle head 8. However, in the first embodiment, thearm 21 may be projected indirectly like the third embodiment. In otherwords, in the first embodiment, the nozzle head 8 may be unrotatablyfitted with the surrounding sleeve 29 which has the arm 21. The thirdembodiment can be recognized as a modification of the second embodimentin which the arm 21 is indirectly projected.

The above described explanation relates to the trigger-type liquiddispenser having an open and shut (close) mechanism of the liquiddischarge passage 11 (11a and 11b). However, if the trigger lockingmechanism (the arm 21) as described above is provided, such open andshut mechanism is not necessary, because the liquid is not dispensed bythe arm 21.

Since the first aspect of the present invention provides a trigger-typeliquid dispenser as described above, there is no danger that the triggeris deflected so that the plunger is thereby retracted when the userattempts to pull the trigger, as in said conventional example, andtherefore, liquid leakage and the like can be perfectly prevented.

According to the second aspect of the present invention as describedabove, the engagement and disengagement of the first engaging projectionpiece 22 with the first engaging portion 23 and the rear surface of thearm with the second engaging portion 26 can be easily carried out.

According to the third aspect of the present invention as describedabove, it is merely necessary to insert the second engaging projectionpiece 28 between the back surface of the upper portion of the trigger 5and the front surface of the lower portion of the cylinder 4, and theconstruction thereof can be thereby simple, and the attachment anddetachment operations can be easily carried out.

What is claimed is:
 1. A trigger-type liquid dispenser comprisingamounting sleeve (2) to be fitted onto a neck portion of a containerbody, a vertical sleeve (2a) erected from the mounting sleeve (2), anejecting sleeve (3) projected forwardly from an upper end portion of thevertical sleeve (2a), a cylinder (4) projected forwardly from a middleportion of the vertical sleeve (2a), a plunger (6) slidably engaged inthe cylinder (4), said plunger (6) being urged forwardly, a trigger (5)swingably attached to a front portion of the ejecting sleeve (3), a rearsurface of an upper portion of the trigger (5) being engaged with anfront end portion of the plunger (6), a nozzle fitting sleeve (7) fittedto a front end portion of the ejecting sleeve (3), and a nozzle head (8)rotatably fitted to an outer surface of the nozzle fitting sleeve (7),said nozzle head (8) being formed with a nozzle hole (10), whereinliquid stored in the container body is sucked up and ejected through thenozzle hole (10) by pulling the trigger (5) rearwardly, characterized inthat an arm (21) is projected rearwardly from an outer surface of thenozzle head (8), a first engaging portion (23) is provided at an upperportion of the trigger (5), a second engaging, portion (26) is providedat a front surface forward of the mounting sleeve (2), and when thetrigger (5) is positioned at its front-most position and the nozzle head(8) is rotated, a part of the arm (21) is detachably engaged with thefirst engaging portion (23), another part of the arm (21) is detachablyengaged with the second engaging portion (26), so that the plunger (6)can not move rearwardly even if a user attempts to pull the trigger (5).2. The trigger-type liquid dispenser according to the claim 1, whereinasurrounding sleeve (29) is unrotatably engaged with an outer surface ofthe nozzle head (8), and said arm (21) is rearwardly projected from thesurrounding sleeve (29).
 3. The trigger-type liquid dispenser accordingto the claim 1, whereinan engaging plate (24) is formed on and projectedfrom a side surface of the upper portion of the trigger (5), theengaging plate (24) is formed with a through-hole which is boredperpendicularly and acts as the first engaging portion (23), said partcomprises a first engaging projection piece (22) formed and projectedfrom a middle portion of the arm (21), and the first engaging projectionpiece (22) is engagable with the through-hole of the engaging plate(24).
 4. The trigger-type liquid dispenser according to the claim 1,whereinthe trigger-type liquid dispenser has a body cover (25) whichcovers the vertical sleeve (2a), the ejecting sleeve (3) and thecylinder (4), a front surface of the body cover (25) acts as the secondengaging portion (26).
 5. The trigger-type liquid dispenser according tothe claim 1, whereina rear surface of the upper portion of the trigger(5) acts as the first engaging portion (23), a front surface of a lowerportion of the cylinder (4) acts as the second engaging portion (26), asecond engaging projection piece (28) is projected sideward and outwardfrom a rear portion of the arm (21) and comprises the part and anotherpart, and the second engaging projection piece (28) is positioned orengaged between the first engaging portion (23) and the second engagingportion (26).